


Picking a Different Base

by GeckoGirl89



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Adorable, Background Breakup of Steve/Lynn, Background Mentions of Steve/Catherine and Steve/Lynn, Claustrophobia, Cuddling & Snuggling, Episode Tag, Episode: s07e08 Hana Komo Pae (Rite of Passage), Family Feels, Family Fluff, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Grace Finds Out, Grace PoV, Hostage Situations, Kissing, Light Angst, Lou Ships It, M/M, POV Steve, Parental Steve, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Worried Steve McGarrett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-30 13:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8535358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeckoGirl89/pseuds/GeckoGirl89
Summary: "I am so happy to see you right now. I'll give you a hug; I'll give you a kiss. Pick a base."
At the time, Steve had opted for the hug. He just needed to hold Danny and reassure himself that Danny was alive and uninjured, especially after that terrorist had threatened to shoot him first. Besides, he wouldn't feel comfortable kissing Danny for the first time in front of a crowd of strangers, especially when he wasn't sure if Danny was actually serious about his offer to kiss Steve.But that didn't mean Steve wasn't thinking about it now.





	1. That Night

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote a coda for the most recent episode because I really enjoyed it and because Danny's ordeal and the scene with McDanno and Grace near the end gave me tons of feels.
> 
> For the purposes of this story, I broke up Steve and Lynn for reasons that I explain in the story. I kind of don't deal with Danny and Melissa, but you can assume that they aren't together anymore. Also, I gave Lou some extra lines that you could imagine him saying just after the end of the episode while Lou and Danny are watching Will and Grace at the diner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter is from Steve's POV.

Steve was waiting at Danny's place for Danny and Grace to come home after Danny and Lou took the kids to a diner where they could have an impromptu dance to make up for not getting to enjoy their Winter Formal. Before they had left, Danny had told Steve that Rachel was with Charlie during their trip out of town. Steve had mixed emotions about that. He was looking forward to seeing the little guy, but he didn't know that he had the emotional stability to interact with a young child tonight. Alone, Steve could give in to his worry and exhaustion. Right now, he had the TV turned on low volume to an old movie that he was paying so little attention to that he couldn't even tell you the title.

Steve heard the front door unlocking and turned his head. He felt like he could finally breathe when he saw Danny and Grace enter the house. Steve immediately walked over to them.

"You have fun at the diner, Grace?" Steve asked.

She yawned. "Yeah, I had a good time, but I'm really exhausted."

"That's good." For a few seconds, Steve just drank in the sight of her, alive and unharmed. _Thank God._ He reached forward to hug her, and she automatically melted into his embrace. Steve held her closely, stroking her long brown hair and inhaling the sweet vanilla scent of her perfume. "I'm glad you're okay, Gracie. I love you."

"I love you too, Uncle Steve." She drew back from the hug to quickly embrace Danny. "Goodnight, Danno." She glanced over at Steve. "Good night, Uncle Steve."

"Good night, monkey."

"Good night, Grace."

She pulled away from the hug from her father, smiled tiredly at the both of them, and walked off towards her bedroom. Steve watched her walk away, struck by how grown-up she looked in her gown. He couldn't believe she was old enough to have a boyfriend. The idea made him feel wistful and nostalgic for the days when she was a tiny eight-year-old.

He turned to watch Danny, who was watching his daughter walk away with a loving expression. He clapped his hand on Danny's shoulder, which drew his attention to Steve. Steve was concerned at the turbulent maelstrom of emotions he saw in Danny's eyes. He jerked his head toward the couch. "You want to watch some T.V. for a while?"

Danny nodded. "I could go for that."

Thirty minutes later, Steve and Danny had somehow ended up snuggling together on the couch, a common occurrence when they watched television together. Steve had his arm draped over Danny while Danny rested his head against Steve's shoulder and nestled against his side, fitting perfectly and naturally under Steve's arm. Steve glanced away from the movie to look at his partner and recalled the words Danny had said earlier.

_"I am so happy to see you right now. I'll give you a hug; I'll give you a kiss. Pick a base."_

At the time, Steve had opted for the hug. He just needed to hold Danny and reassure himself that Danny was alive and uninjured, especially after that terrorist had threatened to shoot him first. Besides, he didn't feel comfortable kissing Danny for the first time in front of a crowd of strangers, especially when he wasn't sure if Danny was actually serious about his offer to kiss Steve.

But that didn't mean Steve wasn't thinking about it now.

Steve cleared his throat awkwardly. "You okay, Danno?"

Danny sighed. "Getting there. Hell of a night."

"Yeah, that hostage situation must have been pretty scary for you."

"It was, knowing that my daughter was being held at gunpoint by goddamn terrorists, Steve. That and having to crawl through a fucking vent."

Steve pulled his friend closer, concerned about how Danny would have dealt with his claustrophobia in that situation. "How was it?"

Danny smiled faintly. "I got through it. It was a little humiliating having Will talk me through a panic attack, but it could have been worse."

Steve idly stroked his hand up and down Danny's arm. "Well, the important thing is that you got through it, Danno. You're so strong."

"You too, what with Catherine and Doris appearing out of the blue like that a week ago." Steve hummed, thinking of what had happened with Danny gone. Lynn had been surprisingly okay with Steve suddenly leaving the country with his ex, but Steve and Lynn had amicably called it quits a few days later. Catherine's reappearance in his life had made him reflect on that relationship and reconsider what he wanted and needed in his life. Lynn was great, but she wasn't who he needed. The person he needed was sitting next to him right now.

"I had you looking out for me," Steve said fondly. Even miles away in New Jersey, Danny had still found a way to make sure that the team helped Steve in Morocco.

"Just like you looked out for me and Grace tonight." Danny gazed at Steve with the same intensity he had when told Steve to pick a base. Steve was seriously considering kissing him right now.

He glanced away before he gave into the impulse and decided to change the subject. "So, how was the whole thing at the diner?"

Danny grinned. "It was good. Grace seemed to have fun, and Will was a total gentleman."

Steve raised his eyebrows in exaggerated shock. "Whoa, hold up. Are you seriously not freaking out about Grace having a boyfriend?"

Danny chuckled. "No, I'm still freaking out about that, but other things took precedence after tonight. Plus, Will helping me through my panic attack helped me warm up to the kid. He saved my ass tonight. Multiple times." Danny sighed and gazed off into the distance. "I still can't believe that Grace is old enough to have a boyfriend. When the hell did she get so grown up?"

Steve felt the same way, but decided not to say anything. It probably would have seemed intrusive and strange to compare his feelings to Danny's since Danny actually _was_ her father. "Don't worry, Danno. She's still your little girl."

Danny smiled at Steve gratefully. "Thanks." For a moment, Danny was lost in thought until he burst into laughter. "By the way, Lou told me about how you took credit for my amazing sandwiches."

"You don't seem very annoyed about the fact that I took credit." Steve was slightly surprised at his friend's attitude. His goodwill towards Steve had apparently precluded him from wanting to rant about this particular subject.

"I did leave them there knowing you would take credit. I am unfortunately all too used to your credit-stealing ways by now, friend." Danny shook his head in mock disappointment. His next words were so soft that Steve wouldn't have heard them if they were sitting so close. "Lou said that I was acting like your wife with the whole sandwich thing."

 _"What?"_ Lou could get some weird ideas in his head sometimes. He wasn't the only one. If he had a nickel for every time someone joked about how "married" Steve and Danny were, he would be able to buy the Kahala Hotel.

"I guess, he meant the fact that I left them with you even though I wouldn't be going to the poker game myself. It probably seemed like the kind of thing Renée would do for him." Danny shrugged and began picking at his dress pants. "He did kind of have a point, though."

Steve frowned in confusion. "That you're my wife?" 

"No, that I, that we, that is..." Danny gulped. Whatever he had to say was obviously difficult. Steve wasn't sure that he had ever seen Danny have so much trouble getting words out before. "Sometimes, the things we do, they don't exactly come across as platonic. I mean, look at us right now." Danny locked gazes with Steve, and Steve could finally recognize the look in his eyes. Tentative hope mixed with _longing_. So much desperate, _painful_ longing that reflected how Steve had felt about Danny for years. How did he only notice it tonight?

Steve decided to take a chance. "You're right. Like you saying I could kiss you earlier."

Danny automatically glanced down at Steve's lips, which was the answer Steve needed. "Like that," he agreed absently.

Steve wiped his suddenly clammy palms on his pants. He felt just as nervous as the first time he kissed a girl. This was _Danny_ , and something as monumental as kissing Danny for the first time would of course make him feel that way. "Can I pick a different base now, Danny?"

Danny looked up and Steve was practically blinded by the way he was beaming at him. "You can."

Steve leaned down to kiss Danny, cupping his cheek with his hand. It was a simple first kiss, just a brush of their lips, but when Danny kissed him back, Steve felt like fireworks were exploding in his chest.

Judging by Danny's breathless and blissful expression, he felt the same way. Steve was looking forward to making Danny look that way a lot in the future, now that apparently kissing Danny was something Steve was allowed to do.

Once Steve's heart was a little more under control, he decided to ask another question. "In the interest of doing things that definitely aren't platonic, do you want to go cuddle for a while in your room? Your bed would probably be a lot more comfortable than this couch."

Danny giggled, and the noise warmed Steve's heart. "Is cuddling a euphemism, or..."

Steve shrugged. "You decide."

Danny reached for the remote and turned off the television. "Yeah, let's go to my room. It's not like I was watching this movie anyway."

Cuddling didn't turn out to be a euphemism, as Danny was still exhausted from his ordeal at the school dance. Danny and Steve had stripped down to their boxers, but for now, they were both content to just kiss over and over again and touch each other's naked chests.

Danny yawned and rested his head on Steve's chest. "I'm tired. Tired but really happy."

Steve wrapped his arm around Danny. It felt just as natural to hold Danny like this in a bed as it did on a couch. "So, I guess your night turned out better than expected."

Steve could feel Danny's smile against his skin. "It did. Being with you, like this, it's everything I ever wanted. I love you, babe." Danny pressed a kiss directly over the scar from his liver transplant.

Steve's eyes grew misty when he contemplated all of the love Danny openly showed him and had been showing him for a while now. "I love you too, Danno." He moved his hand to card his fingers through Danny's soft hair, thankful for the fact that he could do that now. "Get some rest. I'll make you and Grace pancakes in the morning."

"Sounds good," Danny said quietly. After a few seconds, Danny fell asleep on Steve's chest.

Steve watched Danny for a while, paying attention to the rise and fall of his chest and the way his eyelashes fluttered when he dreamed. He was immensely grateful to have Danny in his life and relieved that he hadn't lost him tonight. After a while, Danny's gentle breathing lulled him into his own rest.


	2. The Next Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired to write another chapter after missmeagan66 mentioned that she would like to see a continuation and after seeing some awesome codas from this episode from Grace's POV. This chapter takes place the morning after the episode, and it's from Grace's POV.

Grace woke up a few hours earlier than normal with a parched throat. She walked to the kitchen for a glass of water.

She didn't think anything of it when she didn't pass Uncle Steve as she went through the living room. He was probably sleeping in the guest room.

As she passed Danno's room on her way back to her room, she paused as she heard her father giggling. He hadn't sounded that happy in a long time. _Probably since before he and Mom started having problems and got divorced._

Grace's eyebrows rose as she heard Uncle Steve's voice. "Ticklish there, Danno?"

Danno paused for a few seconds to get his breath back. "You are a ridiculous goof, Steven."

"As long as I'm _your_ ridiculous goof." Uncle Steve sounded really happy, too. And incredibly sappy, but that wasn't really much different than usual. At least, not when it came to her dad.

"You know you are." And then there was the sound of kissing.

Grace smiled to herself and went back to her bedroom. She hadn't really expected Danno and Uncle Steve to get together after almost seven years of friendship, but she was glad for them. If you stopped and thought about it for more than five seconds, it made a ton of sense. Anything that brought her dad and Uncle Steve that much joy had to be a good thing.

* * *

When Grace next woke up, she was lured awake by the smell of Steve's delicious pancakes. She rubbed her eyes and walked into the kitchen and almost snorted at what she saw.

Uncle Steve and Danno weren't acting radically different this morning. Sure, they drifted into each other's space a lot as Steve made the pancakes and Danno made the coffee, looking like they had been married for ten years, but that was normal for them. No, what amused Grace was the fact that Steve was wearing one of her father's old Newark P.D. shirts, though he was obviously wearing his own pajama pants since they weren't too short on him. He had apparently stopped by his own house to grab a change of clothes last night, but he had elected to wear Danno's shirt this morning. _That's a total giveaway._ As was the fact that Danno's bedhead was even more windswept than usual.

Thinking of her dad's bedhead reminded Grace of the messy state of her own hair and she grimaced and made an unhappy noise as she attempted to fix it. _Of all the things to inherit from Danno, I had to get the crazy morning hair,_ Grace thought.

Uncle Steve turned from his position at the griddle and smiled at her. "Morning, Gracie. Pancakes are almost ready. Could you help set the table?"

Grace nodded and got out plates and silverware for everyone. She poured a glass of milk for herself and sat down at the table. Danno put cups of coffee down on the table for him and Uncle Steve and got out bottles of syrup as Uncle Steve piled the pancakes onto a serving plate and delivered them to the table.

Uncle Steve paused and gazed at the bottles of syrup in wonder after Danno put them down on the table. There was boysenberry, her dad's favorite, regular maple syrup for Grace, and some weird coconut and maple syrup concoction her dad had ranted about Steve liking after the first time he had eaten pancakes with him at a diner.

Steve turned his awed gaze towards Danno. "You remembered." He looked so grateful about the syrup, as if he could have kissed Danno right then and there. Over _syrup._ Grace shook her head. She was probably going to get cavities from them before breakfast was even over.

"Yeah, well, I got it for you, so sit down and enjoy it," Danno grumbled, ducking his head to hide how Steve was making him blush. But Grace caught it. She could tell that Danno was pleased that Uncle Steve appreciated the syrup.

Steve sat down, and they all began to eat pancakes. After several minutes of comfortable silence, Grace looked up at her father with false nonchalance. "So, Danno, when were you going to tell me that you and Uncle Steve were together?"

Danno choked on the coffee he was drinking, and Uncle Steve patted his back. "How did you know?" Steve asked as Danno got his breathing under control.

"I heard you guys kissing in Danno's room when I got up earlier to get a glass of water." She smirked. "Plus, you're wearing Danno's shirt."

Steve glanced down at the shirt he was wearing as if he hadn't known he was wearing it. "Oh."

Grace giggled, and Danno awkwardly cleared his throat and looked at her with a serious expression. "Um, how do you feel about this, monkey?" Uncle Steve also gazed at her seriously, clasping Danno's hand on the table.

Grace grinned reassuringly. "I just want you guys to be happy, and you're clearly happy together, so--" Grace watched as they relaxed at her response. "Besides, it will make it easier to deal with the inevitable questions on Monday."

Danno frowned. "What inevitable questions?"

Grace rolled her eyes. "I already got a text from my friend Iolani last night wanting to know who my dad's hot boyfriend was. I'm sure I'll get some more today."

Steve chuckled, and Danno waved his arms around wildly. "What the--? Your friends are too nosy, Grace!"

Grace stabbed a bit of pancake on her fork and chewed it. "It must have been that whole 'pick a base' thing. That was pretty obvious, Danno. Is that what finally clued you in, Uncle Steve?"

"Well, I didn't think he was actually offering at first, but eventually I figured it out." He stared at Danno with the same lovestruck expression he had about the syrup earlier. His next words were barely audible. "I'm really glad I did." Danno turned to look at his partner and closed his eyes when Uncle Steve leaned down to capture his lips.

Grace looked down at her pancakes, feeling warmed up from the inside, and not just from her breakfast. Seeing them together was a wonderful thing.

They continued to eat breakfast, and Grace felt gratified at the easy, familiar air between everyone. Everything felt better now that Danno and Uncle Steve weren't hiding anything from her. Or from each other.

When Grace was finished with breakfast, she got up from the table to put her dishes in the sink. She glanced at the clock on the wall and noted that she had a couple of hours until her mom would come by to pick her up. "Well, I'm going to get dressed and work on a history project I have for school."

"See you later, monkey."

Grace stopped by the table to hug Danno and Uncle Steve simultaneously. "I'm really glad that you guys are together now."

When she pulled out of the hug, Uncle Steve ruffled her hair. He seemed to be blinking back tears. "Thank you, Grace."

She beamed. "See you later." She turned around and walked off to her room, ready to answer Iolani's text and any other texts from her curious friends about last night and get to work on that group project.


End file.
